Improvement in cases for water and gas cocks



UNITED STATES PATENT @Freieno eigener; iiicnarAiN, orri-nLAentri-11A,.rnNNsvLvANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CASES FOR WATER AND GAS COCKS.

,Specilivation forming partol' Letters Patent No. $3,592, dated October29, 1861.

lle it known that l, Gironde illelhwalx, ol the city of lhiladelphia, inthe State of Ienn- Sylvania, have invented a new and Improved ProtectiveCase for \\'ater and'tlas (locks in lfoot-lavemcnts; and l do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ot'the construction and operation of the Same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part oli' this specification, in Which-Figure l represents a central vertical section of the improved ease, andliig. 2 a reduced top view of the saine without its lid, like lettersindicating the same parts when in both figures.

The object ot my invention is the production of a protective case lorwater and gas cocks in foot-pavements, which will not only be moredurable in. the ground, but will be better adapted to resistdisplacement from the action of frost and the entrance of dirt and waterthanthe iron-capped wooden cases heretofore used.

It consists in constructing the case (of terracotta or baked clay) iuthe peculiar manner hereinafter described, and applying the same so thatthe cap shall be free to rise and fall with the pavement under theaction of frost, While the tube which it covers remains stationary.

In the drawings, A represents the tube, B the cap, and C the lid of thesaid improved case.

'.lhc tube A is made of terra-cotta and in the form of a hollow conicalfrustum. It should be about two feet in length and of sufficientdiameter to allow easy access to operate the plug of the cock by meansof a lever-key, which is in common use for the purpose. lt is made,also, with a recess d at two opposite sides ot its larger or lower end,so that it may fit over the horizontal part ot' the cock or pipe in theground in the usual manner. The cap ll is also made of terra-cotta, andin the form of a parallelopiped about nine inches square and threeinches thick. It has a square opening e made through its iniddle ofsuiicient capacity to admit the upper or smaller end of the tube A.'.lhe upper part ot this opening is beveled outward and also enlarged,so as to afford a shoulderf'around it at about one inch below the upperside of the said cap, as seen in the drawings.

'lhe lid (l is made to rest upon the shoulder f, while it (itsaccurately against the beveled. sides ot" the opening c, with its upperside flush with the upper `side ot the cap ll, as seen in Fig. il. 'lhclid may be made of either terracotta or cast-iron.

In the application ot' one ot these cases to a pavement the tube A mustbe vertically inserted over the cock in thc ground, so that its smallerend shall project about one and a halt` inches above the gravel or sandupon which thc paving-bricks rest. lhe cap i3 is then adj usted over it,so that the said projecting end of tube A shall enter the opening c, butat the same time not reach higher therein than the lineot' the bottom ofthe lid, that the latter may afterward be allowed to (it accurately andclosely down in its seat, the said cap B resting firmly on the sandvinthe Same inanas the paveinent-bri'cks. The cap B being about half aninch thicker than the pavingbricks, and therefore projecting about thatamount above the upper surface of the latter, its upper edges mayadvantageously be rou nd* ed olli in the manner indicatedby the dottedlines thereat in Fig. l..

lt will be perceived that in the operation of this guard-case, appliedas described, the cap B is let't free to rise and fall with the bricks-o f the pavement during freezing and thawing ten'iperatures, it beingadapted, as described, to fit loosely around the upper end of the tubeA, while the latter, from its conical form and smooth exterior, remainspermanently in position in the ground; that whatever water in rainyweather may leak through the joint between the lid Cl and the cap l;will be conducted to the sand outside of the tube A instead ot into thetube A or box, as heretofore, and that water flowing over the pavementwill also be prevented from access to the lid C in consequence of theelevated surface of the cap.

The superior durability of. terra-cotta in comparison with wood in theground is well known, and the original cost of these improvedguard-cases is but little, it any, more than the iron-capped woodencases now in general use.

I do not wish to claim, broadly, the application to this purpose ofterra-cotta or baked clay; but,

Having fully described the construction and mode of application of myimproved cases and pointed out their. superior utility, what I claim asnew therein of my invention, and (lesire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

llie (-:Lp l, provided with the opening-eend lid (l, as described, whenthe said cap is api plied and adjusted over the upper end of the lubeA,so as to rest independently ofthe said tube directly upon the gravelor sand which may be used to support the latter and the usual pavement,in the manner described and set forth, and for the purposes specified.

GEORGE MCILWAIN. Witnesses:

BENJ. MORRISON, B. F. SHA'r'rUCK.

